Mother accused of killing her disabled daughter with M&Ms

Veronica Cirella has been charged with second-degree murder following the death of her daughter. Photo via Facebook

This week, Long Island, N.Y., resident Veronica Cirella, 31, plead not guilty to the murder of her 8-year-old disabled daughter following her indictment by a Nassau County Grand Jury.

Prosecutors say that Veronica intentionally poisoned her daughter by feeding her M&Ms that contained traces of peanuts, which the child was allergic to.  Her daughter, Julie, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as an infant and was confined to a wheelchair.

After the child suffered an allergic reaction and died, Veronica attempted suicide by taking injections of insulin, drinking insulin and taking  painkillers.

Both bodies were discovered by Veronica’s mother, Doloros Cirella, who found a cord wrapped around Veronica’s neck.

According to reports, Veronica had left a suicide note that admitted she gave her daughter the M&M’s as a special treat because she was supposed to be a flower girl in her cousin’s wedding the following day.  Veronica also wrote in the note that she gave her daughter liquid Benadryl to ward off the allergy attack after she realized the candy contained peanuts.  Then, she claims in the note, she and her daughter fell asleep.

When Veronica woke up the following day, her daughter was dead, just hours before they were meant to arrive at the wedding.

Although Julie died a year ago, the medical examiner still cannot determine a cause of death, and authorities are not sure if the peanuts were what killed her.  According to Veronica’s attorney, the results of the autopsy were inconclusive and no peanuts were found in Julie’s system.

Veronica was indicted on second-degree murder charges and is being held without bail.

Sources:  New York Daily News, Plainview Patch